One punch

The last time something like this had happened was with that Straw Hat.

But he quickly recovered. Twirling the Golden Long Staff in his hand, he sent electricity surging through it, melting its tip into a spearhead before thrusting it straight at the man before him.

The next second, the Golden Hook slashed through his body, trailing wisps of electricity without causing any damage.

At the same time, his spearhead pierced the other man's chest, scattering a cloud of sand.

"You?!"

Enel stared in shock as the man before him turned into a pile of sand right before his eyes.

Then, in the very next instant, he returned to normal.

Smoke curled upward, and tiny embers glowed glaringly against the darkening evening sky.

"Surprised?"

"You call yourself a god, but you're just an ability user who got lucky and ate the Rumble-Rumble Fruit!"

"You've vastly overestimated yourself!"

Crocodile sneered coldly.

"Out on the sea, guys like you are a dime a dozen!"

Enel's pupils contracted. His Golden Spear darted forward, wrapped in blue arcs of electricity, but to his astonishment, the man before him did not even try to dodge.

Thrust! Thrust! Thrust! Thrust! Thrust!

Yet, just as before, the spearhead pierced the man's body and brought forth nothing but clouds of drifting sand.

The man wearing the Ghostface Mask stood utterly motionless, still smoking his cigar.

"It's useless, boy!"

Crocodile spoke, slowly raising his right hand.

Vrrrr!

The air trembled. Sand formed and swirled outward, quickly gathering into a small tornado in his palm.

Then his gaze sharpened, and he swept his right hand toward Enel.

"Sables!"

The Sand Tornado in his palm expanded the instant he threw it. With a roaring hum, it engulfed Enel at point-blank range and swept him away.

"Damn it!!"

A moment later, a streak of lightning flashed within the Sand Tornado, twisting and winding as it shot back in front of Crocodile.

Enel materialized, gripping the Golden Spear in both hands and bringing it down hard.

Crocodile narrowed his eyes and raised the Golden Hook on his left hand to block.

Clang!

Their clash rang out with the crisp sound of metal striking metal.

Then Crocodile retreated, his lower body turning to sand, before charging at Enel again at tremendous speed, swinging his Golden Hook.

Enel moved just as quickly, electricity flashing across his body as he precisely evaded every attack.

"Observation Haki?"

Crocodile's gaze sharpened, and his expression grew serious.

Both were Logia Devil Fruit users. Though their elements differed, their ability to turn into those elements made them immune to all physical and energy attacks without Haki.

That meant that, without an elemental advantage, neither could do anything to the other.

Still, discovering that this fellow from Sky Island possessed Observation Haki dealt Crocodile a blow.

He had yet to master any form of Haki.

Night gradually fell, darkness settling over the island.

But the electricity flashing across Enel's body lit the area like daylight, leaving their visibility unaffected.

"Damn it!"

"You damned bastard!"

Roaring furiously, Enel attacked like a madman.

But it was useless!

This man's body could turn into sand at will. It was practically like attacking a pile of sand.

Likewise, his opponent could not land a hit on him.

The battle reached a stalemate, with neither able to do anything to the other.

"Enough."

Just then, Jiang Liu suddenly spoke from the sidelines.

Crocodile stopped attacking and pulled back.

"What are you doing? Our fight isn't over yet!!"

Enel shouted, lightning shooting from his body as he attacked Crocodile again.

Yet in the next second, the wind howled, and a figure abruptly appeared before him, making his entire body tense.

Their faces were almost touching. As their eyes met, he felt an immense, overwhelming, utterly domineering presence that made his heart clench.

"Thunder God, Enel!"

"You have potential! That's why I came here specifically to invite you to join us!"

"In return, you'll gain even greater power and see a wider world, with many more powerful people!"

Jiang Liu extended his right hand with a smile, his invitation brimming with sincerity.

Enel backed away, his eyes flickering as he stared at the man before him.

Clearly, that sand-playing fellow obeyed this man. Did that mean this man might be even stronger?

But he soon sneered, twirling the Golden Staff in his hand and pointing it at Jiang Liu.

"I don't think you have either the qualifications or the strength to recruit me as your subordinate!"

"Just because of that sand-playing fraud?"

"Or because of you, looking as ordinary as you do?"

"What a joke."

As his words fell, lightning blazed around Enel once more, and he struck the Thunder Drum behind him with his Golden Spear.

"Did you think what you just saw was the full extent of this god's power?"

As he spoke, the Thunder Drum vibrated, and electricity surged out, visibly gathering into a lifelike blue Thunder Dragon.

"60 Million Volts, Thunder Dragon!"

With his shout, the Thunder Dragon roared and charged straight at Jiang Liu.

In both speed and destructive power, lightning was undoubtedly among the strongest forces. In a flash, too fast for human eyes to follow, the Thunder Dragon was already before Jiang Liu.

An ordinary person without a Logia user's ability to turn into an element would undoubtedly have no way to resist such a lightning attack.

But in the next second, everyone present saw Jiang Liu clench his fist, extend his arm, and throw a punch.

Bang!

Space shuddered. The blue Thunder Dragon was punched into the distance, scorching a stretch of ground and trees. It twisted and flashed through the forest before finally disappearing.

Enel's entire body jolted. His jaw dropped, and his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

Was this a joke?!

How could anyone send his 60 Million Volts Thunder Dragon flying with nothing but a fist?

Everyone else was equally shocked by the sight.

"Armament Haki?"

"No, it might be a more advanced level of Haki."

Standing off to the side, Crocodile narrowed his eyes and murmured to himself.

Highly refined Armament Haki could weaken or even defend against Devil Fruit abilities, with especially pronounced effects against Logia Devil Fruits.

At that moment, he finally understood where his weakness lay.

If I could master Haki...

My strength...!

Silently, Crocodile clenched his fist.

On the battlefield.

Jiang Liu grinned at the stunned Enel across from him. "Surprised?"

"This is an extremely common power down in the Blue Sea!"

After a pause, he stepped forward.

"Since you've had your turn to attack, it's mine now!"

As his words fell, his figure flashed and vanished.

Enel abruptly raised his head, shocked. So fast!!

He swiftly spread his Mantra, but it was already too late.

His opponent was right before him, his right fist clenched and poised to strike.

The next second.

Bang!

The punch struck him squarely in the abdomen. Its tremendous force passed through his body, blasting out of his back and snapping off the top of a distant tree.

The eight muscles of Enel's abdomen visibly twisted and caved inward.

His body doubled over, his eyes bulged, and his mouth fell open as he spat out a splash of blood.